Milford superintendent seeks $89M budget

John Burgeson

Updated 12:12 am, Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Milford Supt. of Schools Elizabeth Feser, flanked by school system CEO James L. Richetelli Jr., reviews her proposed $88.9 million 2013-14 budget with members of the press this week. Her budget would eliminate 10 teaching positions because of declining enrollment, but it also adds positions needed to keep pace with new state regulations on teacher reviews.
Photo: John Burgeson

Milford Supt. of Schools Elizabeth Feser, flanked by school system CEO James L. Richetelli Jr., reviews her proposed $88.9 million 2013-14 budget with members of the press this week. Her budget would eliminate 10 teaching positions because of declining enrollment, but it also adds positions needed to keep pace with new state regulations on teacher reviews.
Photo: John Burgeson

Milford Supt. of Schools Elizabeth Feser, flanked by school system CEO James L. Richetelli Jr., reviews her proposed $88.9 million 2013-14 budget with members of the press this week. Her budget would eliminate 10 teaching positions because of declining enrollment, but it also adds positions needed to keep pace with new state regulations on teacher reviews.
Photo: John Burgeson

MILFORD -- Superintendent of Schools Elizabeth E. Feser proposed an $88.96 million school budget for the 2013-14 academic year Monday, a 2.4 percent increase over the current $86.9 million allotment.

Feser said most of the increase -- $2,080,287 -- is needed to cover raises negotiated for teachers and administrators, as well as more costly health insurance premiums. Their price tag is more than $1.2 million.

There is also money in Feser's budget for a lacrosse program, more cafeteria aides, high school debate clubs, summer school transportation and increased school security.

There is some bad news for teachers, however.

Because of declining enrollment, 10 teaching and five paraprofessional positions are eliminated in Feser's budget. It's expected there will be about 47 fewer students next year, officials said.

The lacrosse program, long coveted by sports advocates in the city, would add boys varsity and junior varsity teams, as well as girls junior varsity teams, at both high schools. A girls varsity team would be added as players come up through the ranks.

Feser said her budget adds $87,000 for extra cameras and for doors equipped with swipe cards. She also wants to install panic buttons at all schools that would ring directly to police. Also included is money to install new classroom door locks system wide.

Feser's proposal includes $131,000 for eight new greeters, one for each of the eight elementary schools. While not specifically part of security improvements, the individuals would get a look at visitors before they're allowed into the school. The greeters would also be responsible for having visitors sign in and making sure they wear a visitor's pass.

Feser said that all school districts in the state are now required to evaluate teachers annually, instead of once every three years. These assessments are largely assigned to principals.

"The elementary schools have a principal and a secretary -- that's it," Feser said. "These schools have 400-plus students, and it's all but impossible for a principal to do the assessments and handle all of the things that happen in a typical day."

So to give principals more time for assessments, four of the elementary schools -- Kennedy, Mathewson, Meadowside and Pumpkin Delight -- would get full-time "teacher leaders" who would handle those administrative tasks.

Feser also said school administrators are spending too much time on lunchroom duty. To ease that, nine cafeteria aides -- three in each middle school -- would be added under her plan. The cost of the lunch aides and the teacher leaders is $275,000, she said.

Feser's budget will be considered by the school board over the coming two weeks; the board can either leave Feser's budget as it stands or revise it.